Improvement in water-meters



' sage.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN E. VAN WINKLE AND JOSHUA MASON, OF PATERSON, NEV JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATER-METERS.

Specication forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,173, dated January 14, 1862.

To @ZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JOHN E. VAN WTNKLE and JOSHUA MASON, both of Paterson, in the county of Passaic and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and Improved Meter for Measuring the Flow of Water or other Fluids; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which-` Figures l and 2 are central vertical sections of the meter at right angles to each other. Fig. 3 is aside view of the body of the meter vwithout the framing and with the stationary valve in section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use our invention, we will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

A is the oscillating box containing the two measuring-chambers a ct of equal capacity, made in the form of a sector of a cylinder, and divided radially by a partition c to form the two chambers, which are likewise of sector shape. This box is constructed or furnished with a socket d d, which is bored truly and concentric with the axis of the box to fit the hollow shaft B,which is secured in ahorizontal position in a stand C C of any suitable form. The bore is arranged with its chambers above the shaft B. The fitting parts of the shaft B and socket d are made slightly tapering to enable their wear to be compensated for, and the socket is kept in its place on the shaft by a movable collar c, secured upon the smaller portion of the shaft by a set-screw f. The shaft B contains a partition g, and the portion h of its interior on one side of this partition constitutes the inlet-passage and the part z' on the other side the outlet-pas- On the inlet side of the partition g there are in the upper part of the shaft two ports jj', and on the outlet side of the said partition there are two similar ports kk', and in the socket d there are two portsZZ, of similar size and form, communicating one with the chamber a and the other with the chamber a. The several ports in the shaft and socket are so arranged that when the port l is opposite to the port j, and a communication thereby established between the chamber a and the inlet, the port Z is opposite the port k', and a communication thereby established between the chamber a and the outlet, as shown in Fig. l, and that when the port Z is opposite to 7a the port Z is opposite to lt, and a communication thereby established between the chamber d and the inlet, while a is open to the outlet, as shown in dotted outline in Fig. 3. The shaft B, it will thus be seen, consitutes a valve for the induction and eduction of the liquid to and from the chambers c a.

On the opposite side of the box to that on which the collar e is placed there is a rim m,

projecting from the socket d, and in this rim there is cut an opening 4 5 (see Fig. 3) for the reception of a fixed stop t5, which projects from the shaft B. The width of the above-mentioned opening' 4 5 limits the oscillating movement of the box upon the shaft, and permits it to move only from one to the other of the positions shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

D is a pipe of siphon form connecting the two chambers a a for the free passage of air from one to the other, but so arranged on the top of the box that no water can pass through it.

E E are two rockers fitted to rock on pivots n n, carried by springs p p, secured to the stand O C, below the socket d, the exterior of the bottom of which is concentric to the shaft. These rockers, which are equivalent to rollers or may have rollers substituted for them, fo rm bearings for the socket d to relieve the shaft B of the weight of the box and prevent the rapid wear of the shaft and socket, the springs p p exerting a constant but yielding upward pressure upon the said rockers and rollers.

F is the adjustable counter-balance consisting of a weight fitted to be moved up and down on a rigid stem q, secured to the socket d of the box, the said stem being arranged radial to the axis of the box and in line with the partition c. The counter-balance F is secured to thestem by nuts r 3,1itted above and below it to a screw-thread on the stem, and these nuts serve to adjust it higher up or lower down the stem.

G is the registering apparatus of any suitable kind arranged on one side of the box A. H is a pawl attached to the adjacent side of the box to operate upon the iirst wheel of the shown in Fig. 3.

registering apparatus to obtain the registration of the number of oscillations of the box.

Having explained the construction of the meter, I will now explain its operation, first supposing the box A to be in the position shown in Fig. l, in which position the end 4L of the opening in the rim m (shown in Fig.l 3) is supposed to rest against the fixed stop 6 on the shaft. Water is now entering through the ports j Z and filling the chamber a, and the chamber c is being discharged of its water through the ports Z lo', and the air is being expelled from ct through the pipe D into a. The counter-balance F tends to throw the box A over to the position shown in Fig. 3; but this eect is more than counteracted by the weight of the box and of the Water in the chamber a until that chamber is discharged and the water has risen to such a height in c that so much of it is on the left of a vertical line, passing through the axis of the shaft, as to throw the excess of the weight and its appendages and contents to the left of the said line, when the box falls over to the position The chamber a then commences filling and the chamber a discharging, and so continues until the greatest weight is on the right of the vertical line passing through the axis of the shaft, when the box falls back to the position shown in Fig. l and the chamber a again lls and a discharges. The pawl H, during every movement of the box in one direction, is made to act upon the first wheel of the registering apparatus, and hence every oscillation back and forth is registered. lt is obvious that the counter-balance E has more or less effect, according as it is nearer to or farther from the box, and hence by moving the said counter-balance downward upon the stem q the box is made to change its position with a less quantity of water in its filling-chamber, and by moving it upward a contrary effect is produced, and the said weight is made to serve for the adjustment or correction of the meter without opening it or disarranging any of its working arts.

We do not claim, broadly, the invent-ion or use of an oscillating box or water-receptacle in Water-meters; but

Vhat we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of the stationary partitioned slotted hollow receiving and discharging axisB with the oscillating water-box A, substantially in the manner herein shown and described, so that the Water will enter, operate, and be discharged from the compartments of said box through the said axis, all as set forth.

2. The combination of the air-connecting pipe D with the compartments ot a', substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

J. E. VAN VVINKLE. JOSHUA MASON.

Witnesses:

S B. WALKINGTON, Jr., GEORGE B. SEDDON. 

